Compare towns
Boston vs Dedham vs Killingly vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Dedham has the oldest population (median age 44.6).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Boston | Dedham | Killingly | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
25,237 |
17,867Lowest |
27,793 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
44.6±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wakefield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kHighest 120% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24k 117% above U.S. |
| Boston and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Highest 52% above U.S. |
$2,042±$182 45% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
| Boston and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 43% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Dedham | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Dedham High | Killingly High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
10.4Lowest |
11.1 |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.